Fingers and Toes
by Scotia Daniel
Summary: When confronted by her daughter about her unusual anatomy, Karai can't help but wonder if maybe she's not cut out to be a mother.


Karai knew this day would come, but she hoped it wouldn't. Then again, she hoped a lot of things wouldn't come but they did anyways. She had never really been...good at anything other than being, well, bad. So as she glanced down at the little girl in front of her, it took everything in her not to just walk away.

"Momma, why do I have three fingers and toes on each hand and foot instead of five like the other kids?"

Karai sighed and closed her eyes. She knew this day would come. When she had discovered that she was pregnant, her boyfriend had been ecstatic about it. She understood why. Donatello, her...brother-in-law...if that's what she should call him now, had had his first child with his now wife, April, a few years back. Their little girl had been three when Karai had discovered that she was knocked up.

When she finally broke the news to Leonardo, he was shocked but happy about the news. They were going to have a kid, just like April and Donatello. With how well Magdalene had been turning out, what could go wrong with their child?

Even then, Karai had been uneasy about the idea of having the kid. Sure, the idea of starting a family with Leonardo was grossly appealing, but she couldn't help but wonder if she was ready for that. To be a mother, that is.

Throughout the months of her pregnancy, Karai would gaze down at her growing belly and feel anxious. Would she be a good mom? She never had one, and being raised by a ruthless killer didn't really help with that. She wasn't motherly. She wasn't good at being responsible and don't even get her started on how she already struggled with showing Leonardo she cared. How could she possibly give the love and warmth the child deserved and needed?

Karai opened her eyes and gazed down at her little girl. They had named her Miwa, after Splinter's long lost daughter. She didn't mind. It had a nice ring to it and it made Splinter happy. She was three now and had started preschool months ago. That itself was weird, dropping her off at daycare like that. It relieved her a lot when she could have the child out of the house, and when she realized how relieved that made her feel it made her feel awful. How could she feel that way towards her own child?

Miwa held her hands out to her mom and wiggled her three fingers at her. Miwa had so much of her dad in her, it scared Karai. Miwa had come out looking close to human, but had more turtle like traits than her cousin had. Unlike Maggie, Miwa had obtained a total of six fingers and six toes, just like her dad. Her skin in the front on her stomach and chest lightly rose like plastron, but not quite like what her dad had. And she had shell markings on her back like Maggie, except that Miwa didn't have the raised skin like her cousin did.

Karai had been waiting for the day where she'd ask a question like this. Maggie had been blessed with a total of eight fingers and eight toes and a little pinker than Miwa. The whole Hamato family knew the kids would have trouble with blending in, but it was better than what their fathers could do at that age.

The woman sighed and bent down so she was eye to eye with her daughter. The little girl dropped her hands and blinked, her blue eyes wide with anticipation. What could she say? Miwa was different. She will be different for the rest of her life. She'll be questioned for her genetic make up and probably made fun of later. Karai didn't really want or ask of that for her, but that's the downside of having a mutant turtle for a dad.

Karai opened her mouth but sound didn't come out. She fitted her mouth into a frown and sighed. She really was bad at this. She couldn't believe she let Leo talk her into being a mom. She just wasn't cut out for this.

"Hun..." She took her daughter's hands in hers. "You're...different. And that's not a bad thing. You...take after your dad a lot when it comes to...your anatomy. And you will have some trouble with this in life, but you don't have to worry about that. Your...dad isn't exactly like any other dad. You know how he can't take you to Central Park or out and about during the day like I can? It's not because he doesn't love you. He'd want you to have more toes and fingers if he could, but it's just how he was born, and that has been passed on to you. I...know it makes you different than other kids and that it can be hard to live like that, but don't let that get you down. It makes you special. It makes you Hamato Miwa, and not some Joe-shmoe. It means you are your father's daughter and that you were born to do great things. That you can do anything anyone else can do but with less fingers and toes. That's what makes you remarkable, Miwa. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Karai held her breath and dropped her little girl's hands as she felt her heart race in her chest. Miwa held up her hands and looked them over, wiggling them, deep in thought. After a moment, she smiled and jumped to her mother, wrapping her arms around Karai's neck and burying her head into her mother's soft skin.

"Thanks, momma! You're the best! I love you!"

She let go, kissed her mother's cheek and skipped off. Karai watched her child disappear down the hallway and brought her hand to her cheek in shock. A smile slowly formed on her face as she stood up. Maybe she was cut out to be a mother after all.

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Author's note: Miwa belongs to aangismyhomie. :) She has a story up with Miwa that you should read! And Maggie belongs to me and NightOwl285. Read Maggie's full story here: s/9123148/1/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-DAD-Edited-rewrit e-and-continued-version

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**Reply to Reviews:**

**cari28ch3: Thanks! I know Karai would struggle with being a mom. She's not motherly. At all. And she wouldn't magically become motherly overnight. I feel like she'd try hard to but she'd have trouble being super affectionate towards the kid and not be the kind of mom to smother her. Karai is wicked and nothing can really fully change that.**

**DarkSummerBrightWinter92: Thanks! :)**


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